NDP’s Sheri Benson wins in Saskatoon West

SASKATOON – Sheri Benson has become the first Saskatchewan NDP MP elected since 2000. Benson won the redistributed riding of Saskatoon West.

She beat out Conservative Randy Donauer, Lisa Abbott for the Liberals, the Green Party’s Lois Mitchell, leader of the Canada Party Jim Pankiw and Libertarian Bronek Hart.

The two previous ridings here both elected Conservatives in 2011, Maurice Vellacot by 27 per cent, and Kelly Block by just 1.8 per cent. However, those wins were due to the strength of the Conservative vote outside the city of Saskatoon.

Former Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn held Saskatoon West (when it was a urban-rural hybrid) for the PC party from 1979 to 1988.